Leafstorm's Battle
by CookieMonster187
Summary: This is the story of how Leafstorm (a ThunderClan deputy in 'Battles of the Clans') earns her warrior name! It's a one-shot, written for the 'FeatherClan' forum!


**A/N: **Hi! This is a little one-shot about a cat featured in _Battle of the Clans_. She is a ThunderClan deputy in that book, but I decided to take it back to when she was an apprentice, desperate to prove herself and become a warrior.

The title's rubbish, so if you have a better one please tell me!

It's written for a challenge in the 'FeatherClan' forum. ( forum/FeatherClan/153512/)

So... enjoy :)

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Leafpaw moodily picked at a squirrel, tail flicking back and forth in annoyance. Her brother, Rainstreak, was chattering away like a starling to the other warriors by the nettle patch, sharing a thrush with them. She huffed, grumpily.

Rainstreak had been made a warrior a moon ago, even though he had the same amount of training as Leafpaw. Just because he chased a dumb fox away from the kits, she could have done that!

She never showed him how jealous she was, she knew that it would upset him, but she felt so angry at times!

Her mother, Frostwhisker, had said that she would be made a warrior soon; she 'just had to be patient'. She didn't want to be patient; she wanted to be a warrior! Even her mentor, Swiftfoot, had admitted that there was nothing left to teach her.

She finished the squirrel in a few quick bites and began to wash her thick, ginger coat.

All she needed was a chance, an opportunity, to show that she was worthy of becoming a warrior. That's all. She just didn't know how to find this opportunity.

When she had finished washing, she lay by the apprentice's den, belly full, soaking up the sun's rays. Swiftfoot would be waking up soon to take her out hunting. She closed her eyes slowly, enjoying the newleaf warmth.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Leafpaw opened one eye lazily to see Morningstar stood at the top of Highrock. He was tense and alert, his expression slightly angry. Leafpaw rolled her eyes, _great._

She heaved herself up and padded over to the cats that were already gathering.

The dawn patrol hurried in through the thorn barrier and quickly settled with the other cats. No hunting patrol had been sent out yet, so all the cats in ThunderClan were present.

She plonked herself down next to Shrewpaw and Tigerstripe.

"What's this about?" she hissed to Shrewpaw.

Before Shrewpaw could reply, Tigerstripe shushed them loudly, like they were kits.

Leafpaw rolled her eyes and focused her attention on her leader.

"RiverClan have remarked the scent line at Sunningrocks!" Morningstar called down, his pelt bristling, "Mintpool went to scout the area and they have placed a permanent guard on the area!"

"It's true," the pale grey she-cat, who was also the ThunderClan deputy, meowed, "There's about seven cats there all the time."

The ThunderClan cats immediately reacted, hissing and scraping the ground with their claws.

"What are we going to do?!" Tigerstripe meowed loudly over the noise.

"We will fight!" Morningstar declared, "Sunningrocks will belong to ThunderClan by nightfall!"

The declaration was greeted with shouts of triumph and agreement.

"I want to go!" A young warrior called Ambercloud meowed, her amber eyes gleaming in anticipation.

"I'll line my nest with RiverClan fur tonight," Darktail agreed, his claws scraping across the dusty clearing.

"No RiverClan cat will beat us!" Kestrelclaw cried.

Morningstar waited for the noise to die down before speaking again. "I will take Mintpool, Tigerstripe, Frostwhisker, Ambercloud, Kestrelclaw, Cloudbird, Rainstreak, Swiftfoot, Shrewpaw and Leafpaw!"

Leafpaw exchanged an excited look with her fellow apprentice. She was going to fight in her first battle; maybe this was her chance to prove herself!

"Assemble by the thorn barrier!" Morningstar meowed as he leapt gracefully down from Highrock.

Leafpaw began to pad over to the barrier, but she was attacked by her mother.

Frostwhisker covered her face in gentle licks, "Be careful, Leafpaw!"

She tried to duck away, "I'll be fine, Frostwhisker!"

Her mother pulled back, her blue eyes shining, "I know. I just want you to see that I love you and I'll help you through this battle. The first one is always tough."

Leafpaw immediately felt bad for pulling away and being rude. She rubbed her ginger cheek against her Frostwhisker's white one. "Thank you."

"I want you to stay with me at all times," a tom's voice came from behind her.

She spun round to see her mentor, Swiftfoot. The black and white tom looked excited, but calm at the same time.

"I want you to stay by my side," he meowed again, "Remember the battle moves that I taught you and don't fight any cat that's too big. If you do end up fighting one, try to call a warrior to help you."

Leafpaw nodded earnestly, although she had no intention of following that piece of advice. She would fight alone!

Swiftfoot nodded, "See you at the battle."

With that he turned and walked off, heading for Cloudbird, his mate.

Rainstreak came bounding along next.

"Leafpaw!" he cried, "It's our first big battle!"

Leafpaw purred. Despite being a warrior, her brother still acted like a kit sometimes.

She licked his grey cheek, "I know!"

"We have to stay together," he said seriously, "so that if either of us gets into trouble, we can help each other out!"

This is what Leafpaw loved about her brother. He could be made leader of ThunderClan, but he'd still treat her equally. He didn't care that he was a warrior and she was an apprentice, he would still treat her the same way.

It made Leafpaw feel awful for being jealous.

She nodded, "Let's get them RiverClan warriors!"

Morningstar strode up to head of the group, quickly followed by Mintpool. His gaze swept over the group once before he turned and ran out of the thorn barrier. As one, the cats streamed out behind him, pounding through the thorn barrier.

Once through to the forest, Leafpaw found herself running beside Rainstreak and Frostwhisker.

The family ran on together, leaping over logs at the same pace and matching each other stride for stride. White, ginger and grey fur melded together as one.

Leafpaw felt the energy coursing through her young muscles and stretched even further, revelling in her own strength. The sun penetrated through the thick canopy, warming her fur pleasantly.

When they arrived at Sunningrocks, RiverClan were waiting.

They immediately slid off the warm stones to form a barrier along the scent line. Their pelts bristled menacingly and they snarled at the ThunderClan cats.

Leafpaw counted them quickly; ten sleek, muscled warriors. The ThunderClan cats outnumbered them, but only just.

Morningstar strode forwards, his head high, not showing the slightest trace of fear or apprehension.

A cat from the RiverClan ranks stepped forwards too, a big, grey, muscular tom. STORMSTAR, Leafpaw remembered. She had seen him at Gatherings.

"Leave these rocks," Morningstar declared, taking another threatening step forwards, "Or else..."

"Or else what?" Stormstar purred, dangerously.

"Or we'll make you," Morningstar's lips drew back into a snarl.

Leafpaw pressed close to Rainstreak. His warm bulk made her realise that she was shaking like a leaf.

"I'd like to see you try," Stormstar hissed softly before throwing back his head, "RIVERCLAN! ATTACK!"

The RiverClan cats let out fearsome caterwauls and leapt forwards as one.

Stormstar flew at Morningstar and began to claw at the ginger tom. A black tom leapt for Rainstreak and bowled him away from Leafpaw. Frostwhisker charged at a tortoiseshell she-cat.

Alone, Leafpaw was momentarily swept away by the force of the battle. Then a small, brown striped, RiverClan apprentice came into view.

_Remember your training_, Leafpaw thought as she focused on the apprentice, ready to pounce. _Remember what Swiftfoot taught you!_

Banishing her fears, Leafpaw let out a screech and ran at the apprentice. She unsheathed her claws and sliced them across his sides.

The tom whipped around.

"Take that, fish breath!" Leafpaw taunted him, dancing about.

The tom growled, before leaping at her, his eyes fixed on her back.

Seeing what he was doing, she quickly rolled out of the way. The tom landed on the ground, hard.

She quickly jumped onto his back and sliced his ears, her claws sinking in, deeply. She felt a surge of glory as she felt his ears rip.

The tom let out a wail of pain and tried to get up, but Leafpaw had him firmly down.

She ran her claws down him a few more times before leaping off him. He took one more look at her before fleeing down to RiverClan territory.

Leafpaw watched him go, barely containing a whoop of triumph.

Suddenly, a heavy weight crashed into her, bowling her over onto her side. As she struggled to get up, tired from her fight, she realised who had crashed into her.

Clawfoot was looking down at her, his lips drawn back into a snarl.

Clawfoot was a massive black tom with big feet and lethal claws at the tips. His name was whispered at gatherings as the one not to fight. Rumour had it that he had once taken on a badger, on his own. He was also the RiverClan deputy.

"Hello, little apprentice," he purred, allowing Leafpaw to drag herself to her feet.

Leafpaw hissed, fiercely, but inside she was petrified. This cat could kill her with a swipe of one of his massive paws.

Clawfoot stood still for a moment, his head tilted to one side, assessing her. Maybe he was wondering how to kill her.

Leafpaw looked wildly from side to side, where were Frostwhisker, Rainstreak and Swiftfoot?

As her attention was still focused on the battling cats around her, she felt her paws being knocked out from beneath her.

She fell onto her belly, the wind knocked out of her lungs.

As she struggled to rise again, Clawfoot nonchalantly licked one paw and drew it across his ear.

"You don't concentrate, do you?" Clawfoot observed, as if they were in a training session, not a fierce battle.

Leafpaw hissed in frustration, how was she going to beat him?

She sized him up carefully. He was about twice her size, and probably twice her strength. So what advantage did she have over him?

Clawfoot got up and walked towards her, slowly.

Her brain whirled, what was she going to do?

Clawfoot stood, about a tail length away and lifted a paw. He unsheathed his claws.

"Let's get this over with," he meowed, examining the paw. He abruptly turned his head towards her, and swiped!

Quick as a flash, Leafpaw darted out of the way, leaving Clawfoot to stumble slightly.

_Speed! _She realised, _that's my advantage!_

Clawfoot growled and turned towards her again. She didn't move, she knew how to beat him now.

Clawfoot stopped for a moment, before snaking forwards at lightning speed.

Leafpaw froze, she wasn't ready for this! Then she tensed her muscles, ready to leap out of the way. _I can do this!_

She saw what Clawfoot was planning to do, to get under her belly and knock her legs out from under her.

She waited until he was close, so close that she could smell his fishy breath. Then she leapt.

Clawfoot must have been expecting it, because he slithered backwards so that she would hard on the ground, instead of him. However, Leafpaw had other ideas.

She had jumped so strongly that she could change where she would land. In mid-air, she directed herself towards Clawfoot.

He realised what she was doing, and tried to scramble away, but it was too late.

She landed hard on his back, making him take the impact of her landing.

He fell to the ground, legs collapsing from under him. Leafpaw froze for a moment, _I did it! I pulled it off!_

Then she remembered that it wasn't over yet. Like she had done to the apprentice, she started to rake her claws along the black tom. He howled and tried to shake her off, but she had him firmly in place.

She scratched his ears and shoulders, loosing herself in the rhythm of her swipes. She didn't know how long she had been swiping, but she knew that she must carry on. She closed her eyes and carried on shredding the tom.

"Leafpaw," a voice sounded close to her ear, "you can stop now, the battle's over. We won."

Leafpaw stopped and opened her eyes.

All of the RiverClan cats were gone, apart from Clawfoot. The ThunderClan cats stood, watching her. Their expressions varied from admiration to envy to fear.

Leafpaw wondered how long she had been swiping at Clawfoot for. From the amount if blood oozing from his shoulders and in her claws, probably quite a while.

Rainstreak stood by her, he must have been the one who spoke, looking worried.

Whilst she was distracted, Clawfoot managed to slide from her grasp.

He lumbered forwards for a few paces, legs unsteady, before turning back. His glittering amber eyes met her bright green ones.

"I won't forget this, _apprentice_," Clawfoot hissed, blood dripping from his ears into his eyes, "I'll be back... and you'd better be ready."

With that, he turned and scrambled down to RiverClan territory to join his defeated Clanmates.

There was silence for a moment, before the ThunderClan cats started to cheer.

Frostwhisker came bounding over and nuzzled Leafpaw's cheek, "Oh Leafpaw, you're so brave!"

"How did you defeat _Clawfoot?_" Ambercloud meowed, her voice filled with awe, "He's so big!"

Leafpaw opened her jaws to reply, but her words turned into a huge yawn. She stumbled slightly, suddenly realising how tired the fighting had left her.

"Let's go home!" Morningstar meowed, his voice filled with triumph.

Slightly supported by Frostwhisker and Rainstreak, Leafpaw followed her leader for the trek back home.

By the time they got back, Leafpaw could barely stand for exhaustion.

Pearnose, the ThunderClan medicine cat, was already with the returned cats, checking wounds.

Morningstar waved her off before climbing Highrock. There was no need for the usual call; all of the cats were already gathered.

"We won Sunningrocks!" Morningstar declared.

The cats that hadn't been at the battle cheered; congratulating the cats who had been there.

"Once we are sure that RiverClan aren't going to take them again, any cat may go and enjoy the sun there," Morningstar purred, "And I also have another announcement to make. Leafpaw, step forth."

Leafpaw looked up in surprise, ME?!

She shakily stumbled up to the shadow of Highrock and looked up at her leader.

"Leafpaw was outstandingly brave today and took on Clawfoot, yes, the RiverClan deputy, all by herself. She defeated him with ease and grace and therefore deserves to become a warrior."

Leafpaw's mouth fell open; _I'm being made a warrior!_ All the exhaustion left her body as excitement set in. She sat up taller and awaited Morningstar's next words.

Morningstar looked over to Swiftfoot, "Swiftfoot, are you satisfied that Leafpaw learned the skills of being a warrior?"

Swiftfoot looked over at Leafpaw, his gaze warm, "I am. She fought brilliantly today and I couldn't be any prouder of her."

Morningstar nodded before leaping down from Highrock. He stood before Leafpaw and raised his muzzle to the sky. Leafpaw almost forgot to breathe.

"I, Morningstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code and I commend her to you as a warrior in turn.

"Leafpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Leafpaw gulped and shakily replied, "I do."

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Leafpaw, from this moment you will be known as Leafstorm. StarClan honours your loyalty to your Clan and determination in the face of danger and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."

Morningstar rested his muzzle on her head and she respectfully licked his shoulder, before drawing back to sit next to Rainstreak and Swiftfoot.

"Leafstorm! Leafstorm!" The Clan began to chant.

Leafstorm looked around, her green eyes filled with joy. She couldn't have been any happier if she tried.

_I'm a warrior!_

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**A/N: **I'm not planning on writing another chapter, but I may be persuaded to if you really want one! Please tell me what you would like in the chapter, because I have no idea what to write!

Don't forget to review!


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